The Tropics

We went to the southernmost tip of Taiwan, further south on the planet than Joplin or McKinley have ever been. To get further south for me, we'll have to go to New Zealand. That'll bottom-out us all!

The landscape transformed. It was subtle, and amazing. There are these craggy formations of crusty lava that poured over coral and froze, displaying the intricate beauty of the varieties of coral, in pockmarked frames of lava. Walking over this is challenging, but amazing.

Our campground was right under the beam of the lighthouse marking the southern tip. To make city-dwellers feel comfortable camping, they kindly leave bright lights shining all night long. We had to wrap our eyes to get some sleep. It was soft, grassy, and quiet, though, and windy! The waves there at the tip blew at an angle to the coast, both across and coming in, it was the weirdest phenomenon.

We decided to go snorkling on our own, with no expert to keep us safe. We rented masks, and headed out, no wetsuit, no boots, just ourselves. We got McKinley a life vest, just so we wouldn't worry about her energy level. But I must say, I worried about my own. I know how long I can tread water, and it isn't that incredibly long. I was quite concerned about being -- out there -- and being too tired to swim back. Like a total baby, I thought, well at least I can hold onto McKinley's life jacket if I have to!

But then we stepped off the coral reef and into the sea, and the magic of salt water happened. We float. (!) Effortlessly. We just lay there on the top of the water, stared into the turquoise depths, with coral caves and tunnels and bright fish, and white (turquoise) sand and didn't move at all. It felt like a miracle.

Then we took the plunge, Joplin and I. Jackknife, kick, and dive down under, blowing out air so that we could sink, and swim there, among the fish. You have to remember to save a bit of breath to blow the water out of the snorkel, I learned. It was so, so amazing.

McKinley spent most of the time being terrified, then cold. She really didn't trust us to know enough to keep her safe. She kept thinking about us dying out there. The life she leads inside her head is too dramatic for any novel.